Korean Baseball Hits 12 Million Fans for First Time

Record-Breaking Attendance in Korean Professional Baseball

Korean professional baseball has made history by surpassing the 12 million spectator milestone for the first time in its 44-year history. This achievement was marked on the 27th, when a total of 55,695 fans attended three key regular season games: Jamsil SSG vs. Doosan (23,750 attendees, sold out), Daejeon LG vs. Hanwha (17,000 attendees, sold out), and Gwangju NC vs. KIA (14,945 attendees). The cumulative attendance reached 12,019,267 spectators after 703 games of the 720 scheduled this season.

This record-breaking season has seen significant growth in fan engagement. Seven teams, including Samsung with 1,616,241 home attendees, have exceeded one million spectators at their home games. Additionally, 321 games were completely sold out, setting a new benchmark—surpassing the previous record of 221 games in 2024. Ticket revenue has also reached impressive levels, with 199.9 billion Korean won generated so far, and the target of 200 billion won is within reach.

Team Performance and Standings

LG, currently leading the league, defeated Hanwha 9-2, extending their lead to 3.5 games. If LG secures one more win in their remaining three games, they will clinch first place in the regular season independently. Even a draw in the Daejeon Hanwha game on the 28th would grant them a direct ticket to the Korean Series for the first time in two years.

LG's starting pitcher, Anders Thorhjert, delivered a strong performance, allowing two runs over six innings with five hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. This earned him his sixth win of the season (two losses). On the other hand, Hanwha’s starter Moon Dongju took the loss (11 wins, five losses). He struggled in the top of the first inning, allowing eight hits, including one home run, and six runs while recording only two outs. This was the first time since his debut in 2022 that he failed to pitch even one inning.

Pitching Milestones and Records

SSG defeated Doosan 6-2, with starting pitcher Kim Kwanghyun delivering a standout performance. He pitched 5⅓ innings, allowing one run, and secured his 10th win (nine losses) of the season. Kim became the third pitcher in KBO League history to reach 180 career wins (107 losses), following Song Jin-woo (210 wins) and Yang Hyeon-jong (186 wins). With his 12th double-digit win season, Kim surpassed both Song and Yang, claiming the top spot in history.

NC edged out KIA 2-1, extending their winning streak to five games. Despite pitching six innings and allowing two runs, KIA’s starting pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong took the loss (seven wins, nine losses). Yang has now pitched 150⅓ innings this season, achieving his 11th consecutive season of 150 innings pitched—a record he now holds alone. Previously, he tied the former record set by Lee Kang-cheol, then manager of KT, during his time with Haitai, and has now broken it.

Growth and Future Prospects

The success of the 2025 season highlights the growing popularity of Korean professional baseball. With record-breaking attendance, increased ticket sales, and historic performances from players, the league is on track for continued success. Fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming games as the race for the Korean Series intensifies.